Waller-Bridge takes on 'Tomb Raider' revival with new cast

Alicia Vikander, who portrayed Lara Croft in the 2018 film, expressed her sadness about not having the opportunity to reprise the role. The new project, produced by Waller-Bridge under her $20 million per year contract with Amazon, initiated a fresh casting process.

According to "Independent," the producers are considering casting Sophie Turner, known for her role as Sansa Stark in "Game of Thrones," and Lucy Boynton, recognizable from the films "Sing Street" and "Bohemian Rhapsody." Emma Corrin ("The Crown") and Mackenzie Davis ("Bad Times at the El Royale") were previously on the list.

Vikander, who received critical praise for her role as Lara Croft, was expected to return in a sequel. However, the project was shelved after MGM lost the rights to "Tomb Raider." She admitted in an interview with "Independent": "Of course. I had so much fun."

Phoebe Waller-Bridge, known for the hit series "Fleabag," expressed great excitement about working on this new "Tomb Raider" project. Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, commented on Waller-Bridge: "She is clever, brilliant, generous and a virtuoso on multiple fronts including writing, acting and producing."

Although Waller-Bridge has yet to achieve a production hit with Amazon—her involvement in the series "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" with Donald Glover ended due to creative differences—Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon Studios, assures: "When she does deliver, she delivers."

The character of Lara Croft comes from the "Tomb Raider" game series. Lara is an archaeologist, first introduced in the 1996 game. She belongs to a wealthy family but prefers engaging in dangerous adventures and exploring new places worldwide. Three feature films have been created based on the games. In the first two films, "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" and "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life," Angelina Jolie portrayed the iconic character. Alicia Vikander took on the role in the third film.